Finally! After a lot of research, reading, writing, and hard work, I finally achieved my Doctorate as a Doctor of Holistic Ministry! My official title now is Rev.Dr. (though I still prefer to be called Karen). Writing my dissertation has been an adventure, that’s for sure. But what a wonderful learning experience! Holistic Ministry has to do with Mind, Body, and Spirit. You hear the terms bandied about individually and separately, but it takes a balance of the three to be a healthy whole. This is termed ‘holistic health.’ An imbalance in one affects an imbalance in another. Even though it seems these are three separate entities, they actually work together as one. The mind is a very fragile and yet strong entity. It can get people through the most horrendous circumstances, and yet it can snap in an instant. The jury is still out as to where the mind is actually located. Normal thinking says that the mind is in the brain itself. Yet new scientific findings say it is quite possible that the mind and memory are in our cells throughout our whole body. This may be why some organ donor recipients may have memories from the donor. The mind is also associated with our thinking processes, feelings, emotions, and memories. The body is another amazing entity. It, too, has the strength to survive the greatest traumas and has the power for self-healing, and yet it can be consumed with the most debilitating of illnesses and diseases. The Spirit is an entity that is really indescribable as no one really knows exactly what the Spirit is or what form it takes. We all have our beliefs as to what the Spirit is or isn’t, but if you ask a hundred people, you may get a hundred different answers. Some will use the name God, Universe, Spirit, Allah, Nature, and thousands of other labels. Like the mind, there is no proof of it; you can’t see it, and you can’t put it under a microscope. We only have our beliefs based upon our experiences of it to describe it. Even then, we humans are limited in our terminology when it comes to describing Spirit/God. The science of holistic well-being is constantly changing. I think it is wonderful that whole ministries are being developed around it. Most people in ministries will specialize in one area or the other, but it is only when we concentrate on gaining knowledge and wisdom in all three areas equally that we are really able to see the bigger picture. Like puzzle pieces, they need to fit into each other to make a whole. The wisdom and knowledge in these fields is unlimited and we are now only really beginning to understand the magnitude of this fascinating realm. To become totally and holistically healthy in mind, body, and Spirit, we need to open our hearts and minds to learning all things new. What worked in the past may not necessarily be what works for today. We need to be open to constantly tweaking our lives in order to move forward into being the greatest expressions of who we were meant to be. When we have our health, we have more hope for our lives and our futures. We can accomplish more. We can feel more love for ourselves. We enjoy life, are happier, more joyful, and can have a positive outlook. When we work on mind, body, and Spirit together, they all weave into each other to make a beautiful tapestry of these magnificent and miraculous Spiritual and sacred beings that we are. How do we become healthy? What are the thoughts that we are thinking? Positive or negative? What are we putting into our bodies? Pure foods from the earth or cheap junk foods full of fake foods, chemicals, and preservatives? Are we consuming drugs (illegal or too many legal), alcohol, tobacco smoke, sugar, and other artificial substances? What addictions do we have? Do we have a spiritual practice whether it is religious or nature related? How are we feeding our souls? All these feed into our total health. Hippocrates said, “A wise man ought to realize that health is his most valuable possession.” And it should be because it is the temple for our souls. Michelle Longo O’Donnell said, “The Spirit of Life is that portion of the Being of God that formed all things, and causes all things to exist in harmony, balance, and perpetual order throughout all eternity.” If we really knew how glorious and magnificent we really were, we would take better care of ourselves to be the best and healthiest that we could be. We are a light onto the world and we deserve to be healthy, happy, and whole! Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper September 5, 2014.

The Bible says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; …Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20) The above Bible verse calls it a temple, but depending upon your beliefs, you may use different terms. You may even just call it a vessel and that you are honoring life. Since beginning my spiritual journey, I have learned that our temple is made up of mind, body, and Spirit. In order to be totally healthy, it takes a balance in all three areas. When one is out of balance, it throws off the balance of the whole. For our minds, it begins with changing any negative thoughts to those that are positive and loving, not only for ourselves, but for others. Our thoughts are extremely powerful and we become what we think. We also need to be careful of the thoughts we think because those thoughts will manifest into the life we create for ourselves. The mind is a delicate entity that can break at the snap of a finger, and yet it is so strong that it can survive the most traumatic events. When we can quiet the mind, as some do through meditation and/or prayer, it helps alleviate stress and we can feel more calm and peaceful. We also need to take care of our physical bodies. There are so many people who are suffering from the most horrific health issues and my heart goes out to them. If we don’t begin taking care of ourselves now, at some point, we may end up losing our own health. To start, this means eating healthy and not putting non-nutritious foods or chemicals into our bodies. Easier said than done; I know. We don’t die of old age; we die of diseases and illnesses. The body has an amazing ability to heal itself and many health issues can be overcome just by changing our diet and lifestyle. Dr. Emmet Oz said, “Real wellness is much more than the lack of disease. Health is about vitality and vigor and energy. It’s about excelling at the many challenges that face humans daily.” Besides eating healthy foods, the body needs to be exercised and moved on a consistent basis if we are able. We don’t need to be fanatical about it, but the more we do for our bodies, the healthier we will be. Spiritually, Jesus repeatedly said that the Kingdom of heaven is within you. Everything we need to know is within, but sometimes we need to read other’s writings or listen to others speak so that we can remember. We can go directly to Spirit for our answers and learn the truth of who we really are. Being healthy spiritually also includes being loving, compassionate, kind, and having an attitude of gratitude. Oprah Winfrey said, “It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understanding of who you are – not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within – that you can begin to take control.” It is our right to be healthy in all three areas that make up the whole, but until we really believe the magnitude of who we really are, we will always find excuses to neglect taking good care of these earthly vessels. It is up to us to be proactive in all areas of our health. Regardless of our religious or belief systems, we are all living miracles and that’s pretty awe inspiring. So many of us take our good health for granted and it is only when we lose our health that we come to the realization just how sacred our bodies really are, and then we wish we could go back and do things differently. We only have this one body while gracing the earth with our souls. Love it, nurture it, and strive for it to be its healthiest in mind, body, and Spirit. You deserve to be the best that you can be! Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper August 16, 2013.